Hello everyone! After spending most of the last two months in Vegas (including during the Stanley Cup Finals), I'm back home and ready to start writing again. I'll be picking up things in August when I'll be writing multiple posts a week, including my rankings early on in the month. I have a few questions I would like the readers to answer in terms of what they'd like me to write besides my rankings, but I'll leave that for the end of this post. For now, I'm going to write a quick blurb on the five biggest moves of the offseason and what their impact is for both real life and fantasy. Let's get to it!
Patrik Berglund
2017-18 Team Preview: St. Louis Blues
September 15, 2017 | 2017-18 Fantasy Hockey, Team Previews | 6 Commentsby: Viz
The St. Louis Blues had quite the roller coaster ride of a season in 2016-17. They started off slowly before rallying to the point where playoffs were a certainty. That didn't stop Doug Armstrong from shipping out Kevin Shattenkirk at the deadline after they couldn't agree to a contract extension. Despite the loss of Shattenkirk and Robby Fabbri to a torn ACL, the Blues upset the Wild in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Predators in round 2. There are some questions on the blue line and in net but their forward group, if healthy, has incredible depth plus elite talent. Let's take a look at what Mike Yeo has to work with:
Simmonds Sinks The Island
March 31, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 6 Commentsby: Viz
The Philadelphia Flyers have nothing to play for besides being a spoiler. Their season is effectively over but they basically ended their division rivals on Thursday. The Flyers blitzed the Islanders on Thursday going up 5-0 in the first period and winning 6-3. With the Bruins, Maple Leafs, Lightning and Hurricanes all winning, the Islanders are toast. There were many players who stood out for the Flyers in this game but the one with the biggest fantasy impact is Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds had a Gordie Howe hat trick and then some totaling a goal, two assists, five penalty minutes and four shots. The goal was Simmonds' 30th of the season allowing him to reach the 30 goal plateau for the second straight season. With four straight seasons of 28+ goals and massive penalty minutes, we know who Simmonds is in those departments. The shots are solid and the PPP are elite but there are some concerns. One, he's been a minus player every season in Philly with this year being his worst ever, a -20. The other issue is that he's never topped 31 assists. I thought this season he would set a new career high but he's not coming close. So where does that leave us? I had Simmonds in my top 25 last season which turned out to be too high. I love Simmonds for what he is but it's not worth taking him in the top of the third round when he's only getting 55-60 points. He'll certainly be in my top 50 but since he's on the verge of turning 29, my hopes of Simmonds taking another step seem incredibly unlikely. Here's what else happened around the league the last two nights:
Oh Ovechkin
March 29, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 9 Commentsby: Viz
The greatest goal scorer in the history of the NHL has made a massive push down the stretch to push many teams towards a fantasy championship. While his shot rate and goal rate have dropped this year, Alex Ovechkin is still a monster. He had his best game of the season scoring a hat trick and an assist with six shots in the 5-4 OT win over the Wild. That brings his totals to 33+33 on the season with a solid plus-minus and penalty minute contribution. Obviously it's disappointing his shot rate went from five per game to four per game but it's still outstanding. We discussed on the podcast where Ovechkin will rank for next season and while I don't think he's worthy of the top selection anymore, he's still a top five pick without hesitation. Here's to hoping he finally gets over the playoff hump and Ovechkin gets the accolades he deserves. Let's take a look at what else happened on Tuesday night:
Getting Behind The Wheeler
March 22, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 16 Commentsby: Viz
In these parts, we're a big supporter of the Jets for fantasy hockey. Going back to when I started writing here, the Jets love started with Blake Wheeler. An unheralded superstar, Wheeler has never received the credit he deserves for his consistent level of play. Another year goes by and it's another year where Wheeler is pushing the top ten overall forwards. Wheeler continued his recent hot streak with a goal and two assists with two shots in the 3-2 win over the Flyers. That brings his totals to 22+41 in 73 games with 43 PIM and 230 SOG. The safety he provides is the main reason why I ranked him 21st overall in the preseason and it looks like Wheeler is going to reach that value. So where will he be next season? He's going to turn 31 before next season starts which means he's likely to start marginally declining as he exits his prime. However, his quality of teammate is going to continue to improve as the rest of the Jets core moves towards their prime. Is he going to be worth a second pick again? It's going to be pretty close but at the least, Wheeler will be a high third round pick. I don't see him falling outside of my top 30. Let's take a look at the action around the league the last two nights:
We're back to help you continue your playoff push! As always, we hit the latest injuries, notably Mark Stone and Jacob Trouba, along with the suspension of Matthew Tkachuk. The focus turns to some of the hottest players in the league. We look at superstars like Nicklas Backstrom along with lower tier guys like Tomas Tatar and Elias Lindholm. From there, the Hart Trophy race is dicsussed along with a debate on who should be the top pick in drafts which turns into breaking down tiers for the top 15 overall. The Three Point Challenge finishing things up. Be sure to make your pick in the comment section below. All of that and more in the latest edition of the Razzball Hockey Podcast brought to you by Harry's Razors, Seatgeek and Draft!
Vanek Leads Evisceration of Maple Leafs
March 15, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 6 Commentsby: Viz
I know evisceration seems like I'm going too far but the Panthers had control of their game against Toronto from the first shift of the game. Florida scored 18 seconds in and led the rest of the way winning the game 7-2. Their leading scorer was Thomas Vanek who notched four assists, a career high, with four shots on goal finishing +3. Vanek was struggling since arriving in Florida with only one point in five games while being -7. Now, his overall stat line seems pretty good after this explosion. The Panthers schedule is very fantasy-friendly down the stretch making Vanek as good of a streamer as there is. Is he worth holding? Well, that's to be determined. While the matchups are tough, the Panthers have three games in four nights starting on Thursday morning. I'm probably going to grab Vanek, ride him through the weekend and then proceed from there. Here's what else happened around the league on Tuesday night:
A Shining Stone Is Struck
February 20, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 10 Commentsby: Viz
What looked like an amazing weekend for Mark Stone turned for the worst at the last minute. Stone had one of the biggest games of the year on Saturday scoring a goal and four assists with five shots in the 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs. Stone followed that up by scoring a goal and taking a penalty against the Jets on Sunday before a hit to the head from Jacob Trouba knocked him out of the game. As if a hit to the head wasn't concerning enough, Stone has already had a concussion in the preseason, an injury that caused him to become a value in drafts. Stone has been terrific this season with 22 goals and 25 assists through 56 games but now, his fantasy owners are in a tough spot as are the Senators who were decimated by injuries over the weekend. Look for some news to come out later today on Stone's status but here's to hoping it's nothing serious like another concussion. Let's take a look at what else happened around the league this weekend:
Podcast: “How Do People Do This Regularly By Themselves?”
February 16, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Podcast, Streamers | 19 Commentsby: Viz
It's apparently solo podcasting week at Razzball! This time I'm by myself following J.B.'s lead with Reid unavailable. Hopefully you're not bored only listening to my voice! I start off by going over all of Tuesday's games, notably Patrik Laine's hat trick and Robin Lehner continuing to dominant his former team. From there, I breakdown all of the Thursday games discussing my top DFS plays for the slate and make my Three Point Challenge picks. Be sure to make your Three Point Challenge pick in the comments section below. All of that and more in the latest edition of the Razzball Hockey Podcast brought to you by SeatGeek, Draft and FanPicks!
Laine Locked And Loaded
February 15, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 22 Commentsby: Viz
If you've watched the Jets play this year, you don't need me to tell you how talented Patrik Laine is. His shot is among the best that I've ever seen and his skating is explosive in its own right. The Jets top six was in a slump so Paul Maurice shuffled the lines on Tuesday. Granted, they play against the Stars, but the early returns were outstanding. Laine led the way scoring another hat trick on six shots while adding two penalty minutes. This puts him at 26 goals and 21 assists in 51 games, the second best goal rate in the league behind Sidney Crosby. I had him ranked in my top 100 going into the season but the days of getting him in that area of drafts is over. Hell, his days of going outside the first two rounds are over. The Jets are loaded with talent around him and Laine will only get better being 18 years old. Is he a first rounder next year? Right now, I'd lean towards no but he's firmly in the second round and it could certainly change over the next six months when I put my rankings out for next season. Regardless, watch this kid when you get the chance because it's remarkable. Here's what else I saw around the league the last two nights:
Podcast: “It’s Going Up… On A Tuesday”
February 14, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Podcast | 2 Commentsby: Viz
We're back with a special Valentine's Day podcast and by special, I mean our usual selves. With a lack of news on the injury front, we start off by looking at some players who have played well since they've returned, notably Jonathan Huberdeau and Craig Anderson. The big weekend for Viktor Arvidsson is discussed next before we play Hold, Stream or Don't Care. Among the players looked at include Patrik Berglund after a strong two months, some trade candidates and a few young players who have been solid lately. After that, we wrap things up with The Three Point Challenge. Be sure to post your picks in the comments section below. All of that and more in the latest edition of the Razzball Hockey Podcast brought to you by SeatGeek, Draft and FanPicks!
A+ For Arvidsson
February 13, 2017 | 2016-17 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes, Streamers | 10 Commentsby: Viz
Viktor Arvidsson has been among the best waiver wire pickups of the season, especially at the forward positions. He's thriving in Nashville seemingly out of nowhere. A late bloomer, which caused him to be drafted at 21 years old in the 4th round by Nashville, Arvidsson first made his name in the league by scoring an overtime goal in Game 6 against the Sharks last season, his rookie campaign. Now, in his sophomore season, we're seeing upside that I quite frankly didn't know what there. On Saturday, Arvidsson scored his first career hat trick on eight shots, albeit in a 7-4 loss against Florida. He came right back on Sunday to record an assist with six shots. That brings his totals to 18+21 in 54 games with well over 3 shots per game and a +16 rating. Arvidsson moved back onto the first line Saturday which helped sparked this surge. He's a clear as day hold at the moment and should be even if he eventually drops down a line. Regardless, Arvidsson is available in over 50% of leagues so do your part to fix that and pick him up. Here's what else I saw around the league this weekend:
A little birdie told me our 2024 Fantasy Baseball subscriptions are live. The little birdie also said it includes our Draft War Room. You really wanna lose in a fantasy baseball league to a little birdie? Would be kinda embarrassing, tbhhttps://t.co/1ag7IFSYS0
— Razzball (@Razzball) January 8, 2024
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